01:00 AM EDT, 03/12/2026 (MT Newswires) -- CFRA, an independent research provider, has provided MT Newswires with the following research alert. Analysts at CFRA have summarized their opinion as follows:

We cut our 12-month target to $20 from $25, about 8.8x our FY 27 (Jul.) EPS estimate of $2.28 (reduced from $2.51; FY 26 lowered to $2.15 from $2.41) vs. 16x long-term mean and the 11x current peer average. We believe a discount is warranted given weak organic sales trends, meaningful margin pressure, and elevated leverage (now ~3.8x, well above 3.0x long-term target). While expectations were already low, CPB's Jan-Q results fell short of even the most bearish forecasts. The company is not only contending with rising competitive intensity in Snacks (particularly Goldfish), but this quarter we saw some execution missteps within Pepperidge Farm. Cash generation will remain a key focus going forward, especially with the dividend payout ratio approaching ~75% this year and a leverage ratio of ~3.8x. Although the shares trade at a historical discount, we believe the company faces several operational and competitive challenges that will likely require increased reinvestment before a return to sustainable growth.